Hostage
by it's time to ramble on
Summary: The Daily Planet is under siege...it looks to be an interesting afternoon.


A/N: This story is set a few months after Superman Returns, and Richard is out of the picture.

~.-*-.~

It was an unusually cold morning. The warm days of summer were just beginning to curve into a very chilly autumn, and the multitude of crispy crimson leaves scattered lightly across the wet road seemed to confirm this as Lois and Jason made their way to the Daily Planet.

The worn yellow cab hastily dropped the duo off a few blocks from the iconic building due to inhospitable traffic conditions, and pulled away from the curb as soon as Lois handed him the fare.

Lois stood, smoothed out her elegant, form-fitting pencil skirt and-

'Hey, wait up, kiddo!' Lois shouted as Jason rushed ahead to press the button on the traffic lights. Jason rolled his eyes as she rushed over to him.

'I wasn't gonna just run across, Mom.'

Lois sighed. 'I know, I know. I just worry. It's my job, you know.'

Jason looked up into her eyes very seriously and firmly grasped her hand.

'Happy?'

'Yes.' Lois smiled, lifting her little boy to plant an affectionate kiss on his cold cheek. Jason reciprocated the gesture. "Love you, Mom." He automatically snuggled his head into the space between her shoulder and her collarbone, leaving his somewhat famous mother feeling extremely pleased with herself.

This small moment of happiness came crashing down around her ankles when she saw the news stand.

She gently placed Jason on the ground again, never letting go of his hand.

'Mom? What is it?' he asked concernedly, observing her troubled expression.

The disingenuous morning edition of the _Daily Planet_ seemed to scream passionately at her from its place next to the oblivious cashier.

'**LEX LUTHOR ESCAPES AGAIN! RUMOURED TO BE IN METROPOLIS'**

Jason's eyes strayed to see what had caught his mother's attention. A small sigh escaped his lips.

'Mom? That's a _really _bad thing, isn't it?' Jason's voice was tinged with more than a little fear.

Lois started, forgetting for a moment that her son could in fact read, and knew perfectly well who Lex Luthor was. Poor kid.

She silently nodded.

'Let's hurry.'

~.-*-.~

Lois and Jason Lane made their way into the tastefully decorated art-deco lobby of the _Daily Planet_.

It was strangely empty.

_Well, I guess we __are__ late…_ thought Lois, trying to shrug off the sinking feeling that was rapidly enveloping her. _There should at least be a receptionist here… _Had she forgotten that it was a public holiday? Was everyone down at Centennial Park having a picnic?

A loud crash behind her gave her a start, and she turned violently to find the source of the alarming thud that ensued.

'Clark!' she cried in obvious relief, watching with amusement as the tall reporter began gathering his multitude of spilled papers back into his dated black leather briefcase. He looked up at the sound of his name.

'Oh, hi Lois! Hi Jason!' he smiled, automatically pushing his thick, dark frames further up his nose.

Lois frowned. 'Clark, don't those glasses get annoying? I mean, you always seem to be fixing them. They're probably too big for your face… Have you considered updating them? I'm sure that the _Planet_'s health policy would cover it.' she informed him matter-of-factly, handing him a few sheets of paper off of the marble floor.

Clark pushed them up again. 'Oh, they're f-fine, really-' at that moment, his dark head snapped up, and he suddenly seemed to be concentrating very hard on the wall behind her. _What on earth…?_

'Earth to Clark?' she waved a hand in front of his absent face. He seemed to snap out of it.

'Oh, uh…sorry! I just realized I left my…wallet…in the cab!' With that, he rushed out of the revolving doors, with an odd sort of grace that Lois had not seen in him before. _Weird…_

Lois shrugged it off, and headed towards the elevators, Jason in tow. Once inside the car, she hit the button for the thirtieth floor with more than a little impatience. She noted Jason's baffled expression.

'What is it, honey?'

He hesitated. 'Mom, that was weird. Mr. Kent's wallet was in his briefcase!' stated Jason, a confused expression clouding his small features.

Lois realized that he was right. She had brushed against it when she put his papers back in. _Why would Clark run off like that? And why lie about it?_

'Hmm.' She would be having a word with him about his little falsehood later.

The elevator was going more slowly than usual today, so she turned her attention to the small television screen in the top-right corner. '_The French government has just announced its plan to-' _The blonde newsreader placed her stylishly manicured index finger against her ear, and nodded- _'I've just been informed that Superman is in _Australia, _rescuing a group of twenty-two tourists trapped atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge! We'll cross to Steve, our Australian correspondent for more information…'_

Lois sighed, and a loud '_ding_' announced the clunky old elevator had _finally_ reached its destination.

The art-deco doors clattered open, and Lois and Jason stepped out into their second home.

Lois did not like their greeting one little bit.

A small gun was trained straight at her forehead.

'Get out. Now.' She was grabbed roughly by the arm and pulled bodily from the elevator car when she refused to budge.

'Ow!' she cried, rubbing her arm. A small chuckle silenced her protests.

With a terrible feeling of trepidation, she glanced around the bullpen.

Lex Luthor.

The former billionaire was seated nonchalantly at her desk, his combat-booted feet dirtying her papers and files unashamedly. He was smiling.

'Miss Lane!' he cried delightedly, flinging his arms wide, as if giving an old friend a warm welcome.

'What took you so long? I've been waiting all morning! Didn't your mother teach you not to be tardy?' he wagged a finger accusingly at her, a mocking smile fixed on his thin lips. When she did not reply, he motioned to the henchman next to Lois.

'Mind your manners, girlie.' He snarled, tickling her ear with his fetid breath. Suddenly, the gun was sharp against her back, pushing her forward. She half turned; ready to give the guy a violent, impromptu vasectomy- and then; her neck was ensconced in an unbreakable iron grip. 'Stay still, girlie, or you'll regret it.' spat the harsh voice. Lois gasped in pain, and defiantly looked Lex in the eye.

'Miss Lane-' he started. 'No, that is much too formal. We know each other well enough by now to be on a first name basis, don't you think?' He smirked, before continuing.

'Lois, as I'm sure you now realize, it's useless to struggle. I've managed to incapacitate every single employee in the building-' he gestured to the boardroom, where Lois, horrified, saw two or three hundred people slumped uselessly on the maroon carpet, '-with ease. Trust me, it will be no trouble at all to blow out your brains. _Or_ your half-breed son's.' he chuckled.

'What do you want?' she spat.

'What do I _ever_ want, Lois?' He shrugged indifferently, casually pouring himself a coffee from the pot by the door, as if wholly unaffected by the present situation, as if the host of innocent people lying unconscious on the floor was an easily justifiable notion, as if it were to be expected. Lex shrugged slightly, sipping his coffee.

'_Revenge_, of course.' He strolled towards Lois and Jason, then stopped merely two feet away.

'I. Want. Revenge.' He punctuated each word with a poke to Jason's chest. 'Yes. That's the only thing I want. And you, Lois, are going to help me get it.' He smiled, placing his coffee back on the small trolley.

'Asshole.'

Lex wore a shocked expression. 'Tut, tut. Such crass language, in front of your _son_, too.' He shook his bald head sadly.

'Look, Luthor, let my son go. I don't care what you do to me, but whatever your plan is, it has nothing to do with him.'

'Oh, on the contrary. He is everything.' Lex quirked an eyebrow, as if testing Lois, as if daring her to contradict him. 'Now, Ezekiel, how about you escort Lois and her son away from the elevator, and get them nice and comfortable. Then we can move on to the next step.'

Lois found herself seated at Clark Kent's desk, her bonds firm and seemingly immovable. Lex Luthor had picked Jason up, and the anxious child presently sat on his hip.

Lex turned to face her- 'He's a charming child, Lois. It's really quite a shame he'll have to die.'

Jason bit his lip, trying desperately not to cry. Lex glanced at her son- perusing his features, as if looking for something important.

A few tense moments passed, then a small, amused chuckle.

'Ah, yes. You can tell who his father is just by looking at him. It's so obvious…' He shook his head, as if to re-organize his thoughts. 'Now, Lois, would you mind calling the boy in blue? I've got a surprise for him.' Lex bit his lip in concentration and waved his index finger, as if trying to work out the location of something fundamental. He stalked around the room for a moment.

'Ah.' His eyes glazed over momentarily, and he removed a small box from the hidden inside pocket of his expensive overcoat. Lex made a flying gesture with his hand. 'If you please, Lois.'

She remained resolutely silent.

'One more chance…'

She shook her head.

'Miss Lane…' said Luthor in a deadly voice, placing a gun threateningly against Jason's forehead. The boy whimpered.

In that instant, two things happened.

Lois moaned in conflict.

'Superman!' she cried, a trivial tear trailing down her cheek. Lex smiled happily.

In that instant, the elevator doors rattled open, revealing a slightly disheveled Clark Kent.

'What…?' he said confusedly, taking in the odd scene laid out before him.

One of Luthor's goons immediately took action, and placed the barrel of a gun at the base of his neck.

'Move.'

Clark did not hesitate to conform to the man's wishes, and obediently sat himself down in a chair beside Lois. He waited patiently while clumsy knots were tied around his torso.

'Lois, what's going on?' he whispered.

She bit back more tears. 'It's Luthor. He's trying to get to Superman by using me and Jason.' She whispered urgently, her voice trembling slightly. Lois stopped talking, realizing she'd said too much. Clark didn't need to know about Jason's unconventional parentage.

She noticed that his face had blanched.

'Clark? You okay?'

'…Yeah. Just give me a minute.'

'Why isn't he coming?' screamed Luthor, taking Lois roughly by the shoulders, and shaking.

'I don't know. Maybe he didn't hear me.' She hissed sarcastically, trying to hide her mounting fear. _What if he doesn't turn up?_

'Well, if he didn't want to show his pretty face before, he will _now!_'

Luthor trained the gun at Lois' left shoulder, and fired.

Suddenly, Clark's world turned to slow motion. Secret identity be damned, he rips his ropes to shreds. He stands, and places himself in front of Lois. This happens before the bullet leaves the chamber. He seizes the bullet in one hand, and it falls uselessly to the floor. He quickly unties Lois, and moves her out of harm's way. He watches Lex and Lois' surprised expressions slowly form, as they realize she is unharmed. Next, he grabs Jason, who seems to be the only one to truly see what's happening. He places the boy next to Lois. Times resumes at its normal speed. All anyone sees is Clark Kent suddenly standing on the other side of the room, Jason standing beside Lois, and Lois looking utterly confounded. _What the hell…?_

Suddenly, Lex laughs.

'Ha.' The humorless sound echoes across the bullpen.

'It's you.' He says, smacking his palm across his forehead in revelation. 'Of course.' Another laugh. 'It all makes sense. Of course.' Luthor is shaking his head in wonderment.

Clark looks around, locking eyes with Lois. He notices her alarmed, questioning look.

Continuing to look her directly in the eye, he slowly removes his glasses. She would hate him, but it was too late to back down.

Surprise etches itself across her features. 'You really were always around.' She whispers in shock.

Lex looks from Clark to Lois, and notices her dazed and hurt expression.

Another look of pieces falling into place plays across his weathered face.

'Oh, this is rich! She didn't know! Ha! Her child's father, secretly beside her, always! HA!' He clapped slowly. 'Bravo!'

Clark and Lois remained stonily silent, trying to communicate without words.

'…Well, I guess this is as good a time as any. I really do hate to break up this little secret-father-family-reunion thing you've got going on, but we all know I'm not just here on a social call. I'm… collecting my dues, so to speak. So, say your tearful goodbyes, and…pray for you souls.' Lex once more pulled the small lead box from his trench coat pocket. Clark and Lois both realize what's about to happen.

'I love you, Lois. I'm sorry.' He says, a sad smile washing over his lips. _Better me, than them_… he thinks.

Lex opens the box.

He feels the effects of kryptonite already, and his knees tremble- they won't hold his weight any longer- He stumbles forward, and his face smacks against the corner of the desk as he falls. He tastes blood.

The considerable chunk of green rock is placed upon his chest, spreading its poison directly to his heart, pressing down upon his lungs… _Goodbye…_

Then, he realizes it's easing…_ how? _Although there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, the oppressive burden is unquestionably gone. _Perhaps I'm dead,_ he muses.

A grunt of concerted effort rushes to greet his sensitive ears. Confused, he opens his eyes. He realizes he is, in fact, alive. Perplexed, he glances around the newsroom.

He sees Jason, his son. Holding kryptonite.

'Jason, no!' he cries in terror, rushing to sit up. Jason just shakes his head.

Lex becomes conscious of the fact that the chunk of kryptonite is no longer where he deposited it.

Kal-El watches as Jason, his tiny, precious, irreplaceable boy, places the kryptonite very deliberately in the lead box he swiped from Luthor's hands, and squeezes. His small hands shape the box around the crystal, forever sealing the poison inside. A small tear graces Clark's eye as he fully embraces the wonder that is his son.

Lex turns in confusion to Jason. 'But how…?'

The boy glares threateningly at him. 'Asshole.' The word sounds odd coming from the mouth of a five year old, but none can deny its truth.


End file.
